Sam’s Club Launches Small Business Boot Camp Across USA

CEO Rosalind Brewer announces community small business commitment at annual Shareholders’ Meeting

Sam’s Club CEO Rosalind Brewer announced the launch of a collaborative program supporting small business owners and entrepreneurs in 25 cities – the Grow Your Business Boot Camp series. The hands-on training seminars are backed by a funding commitment of $500,000 from Sam’s Club.

The Boot Camp series allows local Sam’s Club leaders to collaborate with community non-profits and organizations to provide small business training seminars. These regional collaborations will empower local business owners—including those owned by women, minorities and veterans—to learn new skills and ideas that can help their businesses thrive.

“I’m excited to kick off our Small Business Boot Camp in 25 markets across the country,” announced Sam’s Club CEO Rosalind Brewer at Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.’s 2013 Shareholder’s meeting. “Associates [can] provide small business owners with valuable training and give these businesses the support to really succeed. [Together we are] making a difference community by community.”

The events will be designed and executed by local nonprofits dedicated to small business success and selected by the Sam’s Club Giving team. Local Sam’s Club managers will participate in each event, which plans to host up to 50 small business owners and entrepreneurs per session. Each nonprofit will focus the curriculum on their key strengths or the top needs of the business owners in the community. Topics may include financial planning; microlending and accessing capital; marketing, branding and merchandising; customer acquisition; networking and growth strategies.

The Need for Small Business Support
Only 50% of small businesses survive five or more years
Approximately one in three entrepreneurs struggle to access small business capital2
Small business owners cite marketing, sales and finance as major challenges3

Events are expected to start in late summer in 25 markets, including Atlanta, Chicago, St. Louis and Tulsa, among others. Sites were selected based on location of local nonprofits serving small businesses, communities where national Sam’s Club grantees such as SCORE Foundation have local outlets and feedback from local Sam’s Club associates eager to participate.

About Sam’s Club
Sam’s Club®, a division of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT), is the nation’s eighth largest retailer and a leading membership warehouse club offering superior products and services to more than 47 million members in clubs across the U.S., as well as in Brazil, China and Mexico. Sam’s Club members averaged savings of 33 percent versus traditional retailers.

About Sam’s Club Giving
Since 2008, Sam’s Club has invested more than $10 million in national and local programs to support small business growth and success and inspire the next generation through youth entrepreneurship programs. Last year, Sam’s Club grants to nonprofit partners helped to train over 3,600 small business owners, enabled 265 small business loans and created or maintained 1,200 American jobs.